ARC Linkage Project: Beyond Year 10

Faculty of Education

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The ARC-funding research project Beyond Year 10 aims to investigate factors that influence student retention beyond the compulsory years of schooling in rural, regional and disadvantage communities. Students in Grades 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 from over 75 Tasmanian schools are being targeted for this 3-year longitudinal study, along with school and college principals, teachers, parents and members of the community.

The project is being conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Tasmania, in partnership with the Tasmanian Department of Education. Leading the team is Professor Ian Hay, Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania, with co-investigators, Associate Professor Kim Beswick, Professors Neil Cranston and Jane Watson, and Dr Jeanne Allen (all from the Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania).

Project overview

The three-year study (2012-2014) investigates best educational practice to enhance retention in schooling in rural, regional and disadvantaged communities via the following means:

investigating factors that influence students’ decisions to continue their schooling beyond Year 10;
examining organisational issues, such as leadership and organisational culture, which contribute to an ethos and commitment among staff to pursuing student retention beyond current levels;
identifying and documenting

key interventions at primary, secondary and post-Year 10 school levels that enhance student retention;
school, community and home practices that enhance student retention;
specific practices related to the use of new technologies to enhance student retention; and,

providing recommendations to relevant stakeholders for implementing, developing and monitoring interventions across local (Tasmanian) and national contexts.

Key announcements

2-6 Dec 2012: Pilot study data to be presented at the AARE-APERA conference in Sydney

30 Nov 2012: Survey completion cut-off date

8 Nov 2012: Steering Committee Meeting

Beyond Year 10 project reports and publications

Project statement October 2012 [PDF 196KB]

Interview with Professor Ian Hay [MP3 4.3MB]

Resources and references

coming soon

Research plan

The design of the study is shaped by four significant and inter-related issues associated with student retention: (1) building student capacity for positive transition for post-compulsory participation; (2) forming positive educational partnerships among school and senior secondary school communities; (3) addressing teachers’, families’ and community members’ beliefs about, and attitudes to, student retention, especially of rural, regional, and disadvantaged students; and (4) building educational leadership and organisational capacity. The study is located in the North, North West and the South East. Approximately 75 schools are involved in the study.

Quantitative (i.e., surveys) and qualitative (i.e., interviews, focus groups) methods are being used in the study. Student data collection is targeting cohorts of students in Years 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11, using mainly surveys and some interviews/focus groups. Teachers, parents/guardians, principals and community member data collection will also employ surveys and interviews/focus groups. A key component is targeted school/community case studies of successful strategies for raising retention. Interviews with other relevant personal (departmental, school community, other) as they are identified are also being undertaken across the life of the study.

Project Advisory Group

A Project Advisory Group has been established to provide advice and comment on the project from time to time as well as assist with communication about the project to key stakeholders. The Advisory Group comprises members of the UTAS Research Team and General Managers (Learning Services) and other relevant Departmental personal.

UTAS Research Team

Launceston: Chief Investigators: